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| Lawmakers of the conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party demand National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang step down for allegedly sexually harassing female lawmaker. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han |
By Oh Young-jin
National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang was transferred to Seoul National Hospital and was to undergo surgery, his office said Friday.
Moon checked into the Catholic University of Korea Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital Wednesday suffering from high blood pressure and a rapid heartbeat.
The politician, 74, found himself in the middle of a partisan fight over a fast-tracked bill on establishing an agency responsible for investigating corruption by those in high office.
Moon touched a female lawmaker on her cheeks when she blocked him in a melee at his office, triggering cries of sexual harassment from women lawmakers.
Moon's office said he showed symptoms of being in shock from a low blood sugar level and was told by the medical staff to go to hospital.
His spokesmen declined to reveal his conditions, citing confidentiality about the health of heads of the three branches of government.
But all things considered, it is speculated that Moon has a respiratory condition.
Moon's chief of staff, Park Soo-hyun, posted on his Facebook account, "The hospital notified the speaker that his condition needed surgery. He is insisting on doing his duty even if he is sick. I don't feel any need to mention speculation that he is feigning illness."
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